Escape Storm Lucas.

Tyler was driving his Black Ford Raptor Truck, unaware he was heading straight for the eye of storm Lucas. At least, Until the weather got so bad He had to stop, he had no choice. He had not expected to get caught up in it to this degree and he was starting to panic. He hopped out of the truck, and looked upwards at the grey and black churning sky. Planks of wood and debris were flying through the air missing him by feet, the storm was getting closer, and fast. Animals were running for cover and not a single person was in sight. This can't be good he thought, it was too late, Storm Lucas was upon him, suddenly with a almighty SMACK, a big metal barrel came smashing down onto the hood of his truck, making Tyler loose his balance in shock, he stumbled backwards landing on his behind. He stood up and shook it off, Opening the rear door to his beloved truck he grabbed his backpack, slamming the door and turning away from his truck for what he hopes will not be the last time. He takes a big breath and looks around for a clue as to what he should do next. He felt like he could literally feel the full force of this storm growing closer to him.

Tyler is a 34 year old event manager from the city. He had been to visit his grandmother for her birthday in the next town over, a small green town with fields and crops, farms and churches, and stalls by the road side selling blueberry pie's. His Grandmother had warned him to stay the night. She had heard storm Lucas was coming on the radio news broadcast all day. Tyler unfortunately had to work the next day, he thought he could outrun the storm, and get back home before things got too out of control.

Now Tyler wished he had just listened to his Grandmother. He looked around in all directions, his back to his truck. He noticed a couple of fences still up and what looked like a building and some farm vehicles outside. He set off running looking behind him as the storms path of destruction roared like a furious monster tearing through the green countryside. He could hear sheep and cows crying out. He was Jumping over bits of wood and hay and tree branches, he got closer and noticed the building he had spotted was an old run down barn. There was no other buildings in sight, he decided to go inside, this was his best bet, if he ever wants to see his truck, or his family again he has better bunker in and let the storm pass. It was his best, and only option.

He finally got to the barn, pulling the old door open to take refuge as the wind tried to keep it shut. He stumbled inside dropping to his knee's. After a few moments He raised his head and took a look around the old barn. He saw farming equipment, rakes and shovels, straw and hay everywhere, some old barrels filled with water and a rickety old ladder leading to a top level. First things first he thought, it can't be a good idea to have sharp metal tools flying through the air if this storm decides to rip the roof off this barn, so he started grabbing the tools off their hooks and threw them into the corner of the barn and covered them in hay. Just then, he heard a massive 'BOOM' against the door of the barn. He sharply swivelled round looking at the door, the door swung open and young lady jumped inside the barn and pulled the door shut behind her, leaning scared against the closed barn door. Tyler ran over and put his arm around her shoulder. 'are you ok??' Tyler asked. 'Y Yeah, yeah I think so..I was driving down the highway when the storm got real sketchy, I saw the barn and made a run for it' she explained. 'me too, i left my truck on the road and ran' Tyler replied ' Its coming this way, its gonna hit this barn' she continued frantically.' We just gotta bunker in and try and ride this thing out its our only choice now' Tyler replied in an assertive voice. 'ok your right' the girl replied breathing deeply.

'My name's Michelle, she said 'I'm Tyler' he replied. 'Look, we gotta stay low and take shelter, if the roof comes off we don't wanna get crushed or hit by debris' Tyler said. They looked around the barn, and they climbed in under the top levels floor boards which were supported by two metal girders, if anything collapse we should be fairly safe under here they thought hopefully. They sat down on some piles of straw and hay. They both took out their cell phones, Tyler's was dead. Michelle's had power but no signal. 'keep checking it, if you get signal, call 911' Tyler told Michelle. 'ok' She replied. 'What now' Michelle asked 'we wait, and pray 'Tyler replied with a concerned look on his face.

20 minutes had passed and they could hear things breaking and smashing closer to the barn, fence pickets hitting the wooden wall sounded like gun fire. Tyler put his arm around Michelle and she put her's around him. 'We are going to be ok' Tyler said to Michelle. Michelle looked at him and nodded unconvincingly. Just Then, they heard rattling and banging coming from above their heads. An eerie screeching sound which was the old rusty nails being pulled out of the roof they had sat in for decades. The storm was ripping the old wooden slats from the roof of the barn. One by one storm Lucas snatched the slats from the roof until there was hardly anything left. They felt the wind, like natures breath entering the barn like a lung filling with air. It was Soaring and whistling through the barn roof and walls and consumed them as they held each other tightly. Then Tyler in a moment of survival instinct clarity, jumped up and grabbed a rubber hose pipe which was hanging from a hook on the barn wall, he had seen it out the corner of his eye. He tied it around both their waists and then around the metal post that was supporting the upper level of the barn. The wind grew and grew, until Tyler and Michelle's feet were off the floor and the rubber hose was the only thing stopping them being sucked up into the whirlwind of destruction. Michelle was screaming, They both held on for dear life, their lives flashing before their eyes. Terror and adrenaline coursing through their blood as they could almost sense each others fear and despair. It must have been 20 minutes and their arms were beginning to get tired. They felt closer to each other, in that crazy moment, two complete strangers than anyone else they had encountered in their recent memory.

They held onto the hose, and each other, until finally, after what had seemed like a life time to them suspended in weightless chaos together. The storm started to move on passed the barn, their feet came back to rest on the barn floor once more. They cried and held their heads for a few minutes, Tyler asked 'Michelle are you ok? anything damaged?? No I'm ok, I'm in one piece' She replied. They both let out a massive sigh and looked into each others eyes as if they were the first and only two human being alive, connected to each other, brought together by nature's unforgiving wrath, and bonded through that very same nature's provided survival instincts.

Michelle and Tyler got to their feet stepping out of the rubber hose, like an adopted umbilical cord that had kept them alive for the last 20 minutes. and stumbled out of the old barn which now had no roof, Looking back Tyler let out a sigh and said 'they don't make barns like that anymore'

They headed back to the road where Michelle had parked her car, which was now upside down in the ditch next to the road side. Michelle took in a huge gasp and covered her eyes with her hands. 'Damn' Tyler said. 'hey, the most important thing is we are alive, its just a car' he continued trying to comfort Michelle. They turned and walked up the road heading towards the spot where Tyler's truck had been ditched earlier. His beloved black Ford Raptor was still there, but it had been shifted by the winds a couple meters down the road and was now facing the opposite direction. 'Come on, Tyler said holding Michelle close, its ok jump in'. They Hopped into Tyler's truck and just sat. After 10 minutes or so Tyler slowly looked at Michelle. Who was clearly still shaken.

'What do we do now' Michelle asked 'Come one lets get outta here, watcha say? my Grandmother lives in the next town, fancy some coffee, she makes one hell of a blueberry pie' he said trying to raise a smile at Michelle. 'Michelle smiled and nodded. Tyler put his hand on her hand and then to the key and started the engine, Michelle looked out the window and trusted Tyler completely as he spun the big truck around and set off back towards his Grandmothers house. My Grandma is not going to believe this..

The End.